[TheForge] Disgusting Ironwork

[Andy Vida]

Michael Horgan wrote:

>    Yup,in my day job, working the lines at SBC Repair, I have to explain
> this to folks all the time. Pre divestiture, the Bell System owned all the
> phones. They leased them out and expected a good return. Design lifetime
> for the Western Electric sets was 75 years, and they were easily
> repairable. Sure, and you could drive nails with them ;^)
>     Today's sets, from whichever manufacturer, have a two year design life,
> since they only make money when you buy another set. This is also why
> replacement battery packs for cordless sets cost almost as much as a new set.

	Woohoo... another old phone company d00d!

	75 years.  How far we have fallen, all our fancy technology 
	notwithstanding.
> 
>     I usually direct them to a business chain store to buy a telephone set
> with only the features they must have, since a thousand dollar phone system
> has the same life expectancy as a $9.95 cheapy.

	I've had my $500 Polycom speaker phone since `99 when Tecordia
	purchased it for me.  No way *I* would spend that much on a
	damned phone.  It still works perfectly.  For that money it
	should be lighting the proverbial cigarette for me as well. :)

	-Andy